Apparatus for transfer of a powdered or granular material from a space under low pressure into a space under high pressure



B. ZELLERHOFF FER May 11, 1965 3,182,825 ULAR MATERIAL 0 A SPACE APPARATUS FOR TRANS OF A POWDERED OR GRAN FROM A SPACE UNDER LOW PRESSURE INT UNDER HIGH PRESSURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 12, 1963 GAS/FIE? OXYGEN a scnsw CONVEYOR 4 INVENTOR. BPMVO THEE/10F) 'FIG. 2

y 1965 B. ZELLERHOFF 3,132,825

APPARATUS FOR TRANSFER OF A POWDERED 0R GRANULAR MATERIAL FROM A SPACE UNDER LOW PRESSURE INTO A SPACE UNDER HIGH PRESSURE Filed Aug. 12, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTOR. BfiU/VO ZELZEPl/OFF dtzfavzg United States Patent 3,182,825 APPARATUS FOR TRANSFER OF A POWDERED 0R GRANULAR MATERIAL FROM A SPACE UNDER LOW PRESSURE INTO A SPACE UNDER HIGH PRESSURE Bruno Zellerhofi, Essen-Werden, Germany, assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Koppers Company, Inc., Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 12, 1963, Ser. No. 301,328 3 Claims. (Cl. 214-17) This invention relates to apparatus for feeding material from a zone of predetermined pressure to a zone of high pressure.

Upon introducing powdered or fine-grained materials from a space under low pressure, for example a space prevailing under atmospheric pressure, into a space prevailing under high pressure, it is necessary to solve the problem of substantially preventing an escape of the pressure medium in order not to have to replenish pressure medium constantly, as in the case in known apparatus which consist of storage tanks, bins, and sluices, etc.

According to the invention, the pressure is maintained in the space prevailing under high pressure by arranging in the upper part of the supply tank prevailing under pressure a rotator which is provided at its periphery with openings closed under spring pressure and which revolves at a high speed; and supplying the material to the rotator through a feed pipe which passes gastightly through the supply tank and is gastightly connected with the rotator.

In this way the powdered or fine-grained material is supplied to the storage tank prevailing under pressure only through the openings of the rotator which revolves at a high speed when the spring-pressure Valves which open under the effect of centrifugal force release the way for passage of powdered material against the pressure in the supply tank. If the pressure in the supply tank is higher than the centrifugal pressure formed by the centrifugal force, the valves are closed by the pressure in the tank and the pressure of the spring, so that an escape of the pressure medium from the tank through the rotator is excluded.

The inner space of the rotator constructed according to the invention consists of a concentric space connected to the feed pipe and conical branches leading to the peripheral openings, so that a light plug-like filling is formed in the conical branches; this counteracts an opening during the turning by centrifugal action.

According to the invention, the feed pipe which is firmly connected with the rotator is rotatably mounted and projects in an apparatus for charging the material.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the drawings which show a charging apparatus for pressure gasification apparatus.

FIGURE 1 is a vertical section through a supply tank provided with the rotator conforming to the invention and the connected charging apparatus to the gasifier.

FIGURE 2 is a horizontal section through the rotator.

Powdered fuel is introduced to gasifier 1 through a screw conveyor 2 which is supplied from a supply tank 3. Screw conveyor 2 has at its end a conical grinding means 4 which loosens the powdered fuel compressed in the screw conveyor. The powdered fuel is finely distributed r 3,182,825 Patented May 11, 1965 in oxygen introduced at 5 and is then introduced into the gasifier 1 through a feed pipe 6.

The supply tank 3 prevailing under pressure is charged up to about level 7. A rotator 10 projects in the free space 8 of the supply tank above level 7. Rotator 10 is gastightly connected with a pipe 9 which passes gastightly through the cover of the supply tank in a stufiing box 11. The pipe 9 is mounted in journal and radial ball bearings 12, 13. i

The pipe is provided with a gear 14 and is maintained in revolution during the charging by a motor 16 revolving at a high speed with interposition of a transmission 15.

The pipe 9 passes through the outlet of a feed bunker 18 in a stufiing box 17 and is provided with spherical slings 19 arranged on the top of rods of various length,

in order to bring the material stored in bunker 18 into pipe 9 in the loosened state.

Rotator 10 consists of a circular housing which has on the inside a concentric free space 20 located in the passageway of pipe 9. Radial branches 21 which are constructed conically and the number of which corresponds to the desired throughput are connected to this free space.

Conical branches 21 discharge into openings 22 which are closed in the state of rest by valves 23 acting against valve seats 30. The closed position of valves 23 is effected by pressure springs 25 supported on bows 24.

Valves 23 are opened against the spring pressure under the effect of the centrifugal force of the rotator revolving at a high speed, so that the coal collected in the inner space of the rotator can leave through the slit formed thereby. The discharge of the powdered fuel takes place against the high pressure maintained in the free space 8 of the supply tank 3. The high pressure is maintained by introduction of nitrogen at 26 and the pressure corresponds to the pressure of the oxygen introduced at 5 to the charging apparatus leading to the gasifier.

The introduction of any type of powdered or finegrained materials into a tank under high pressure is possible with the described apparatus.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for injecting particulate matter into a pressurized atmosphere comprising:

(a) a container capable of withstanding superatmospheric pressure;

(b) a rotator extending through said container and disposed therein;

(0) means to rotate said rotator;

(d) said rotator being a tubular member projecting within said container and terminating therein as a hollow vessel, and having a plurality of outwardly extending peripheral valve seats, a weighted valve head for each set, a bowed retaining member extending outwardly of each valve, and a compression spring between each said bowed member and said valve head operable in response to centrifugal force to open the port as said rotator rotates about its axis; and

(e) means for introducing particulate material into said tubular member at substantially atmospheric pressure whereby said material is centrifugally ejected via said valves into the superatmospheric interior of 3 said container as said rotator rotates and the compression spring of said valves close said valves to prevent flow material when rotation stops. 2. The invention set forth in claim 1 wherein:

(a) said rotator includes a plurality of radial internal 5 material delivery channels connecting respective peripheral valves.

3. The invention set forth in claim 1 wherein:

(a) means is provided to continuously inject material into said rotator while it rotates.

4 References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 975,232 11/10 Hanes et al 103-100 1,661,986 3/28 Yetter 103-100 2,692,702 10/54 Church 222-410 2,822,097 2/58 Lee 214--17.64 2,920,793 1/ 60 Munsell 222410 X LOUIS I. DEMBO, Primary Examiner.

HADD S. LANE, RAPHAEL M. LUPPO, Examiners. 

1. APPARATUS FOR INJECTING PARTICULATE MATTER INTO A PRESSURIZED ATMOSPHERE COMPRISING: (A) A CONTAINER CAPABLE OF WITHSTANDING SUPRATMOSSPHERIC PRESSURE; (B) A ROTATOR EXTENDING THROUGH SAID CONTAINER AND DISPOSED THEREIN; (C) MEANS TO ROTATE SAID ROTATOR; (D) SAID ROTATOR BEING A TUBULAR MEMBER PROJECTING WITHIN SAID CONTAINER AND TERMINATING THEREIN AS A HOLLOW VESSEL, AND HAVING A PLURALITY OF OUTWARDLY EXTENDING PERIPHERAL VALVE SEATS, A WEIGHTED VALVE HEAD FOR EACH SET, A BOWED RETAINING MEMBER EXTENDING OUTWARDLY OF EACH VALVE, AND A COMPRESSION SPRING BETWEEN EACH SAID BOWED MEMBER AND SAID VALVE HEAD OPERABLE IN RESPONSIVE TO CENTRIFUGAL FORCE TO OPEN THE PORT AT SAID ROTATOR ROTATES ABOUT ITS AXIS; AND (E) MEANS FOR INTRODUCING PARTICULATE MATERIAL INTO SAID TUBULAR MEMBER AT SUBSTANTIALLY ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE WHEREBY SAID MATERIAL IS CENTRIFUGALLY EJECTED VIA SAID VALVES INTO THE SUPERATMOSPHERIC INTERIOR OF SAID CONTAINER AS SAID ROTATOR ROTATES AND THE COMPRESSION SPRING OF SAID VALVES CLOSE SAID VALVES TO PREVENT FLOW MATERIAL WHEN ROTATION STOPS. 